jsqair Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I'm looking to purchase a guitar and I'm going back and forth between two, the Epiphone Propecy Les Paul Custom Plus EX and the Gibson LPJ. I would like to get others input on the pros & cons, likes & dis-likes on both of these before I decide. I hope to benefit from your comments to make a more informed decision before I purchase one. Thank you for your time. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVL Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Hi there. Yours is a question that comes up all the time and the simple answer is "We don't know." We are not the ones playing the guitar... YOU are. YOU need to try each guitar out at a music store and see which feels right to you. The other thing is don't try JUST one Gibson LPJ or one Epi Prophecy. Try a few of each, because guitars are as individual as we are. 3 or 4 of the same model guitar could feel and play differently depending on who set them up at the shop. The other thing to consider is what style of music you like to play, as the electronics and pickups in each guitar are tonally quite different. A hard rock or metal player would not likely enjoy the lpj as much as the prophecy, yet a blues, country or jazz player would say the opposite. Good Luck with your search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheapShoes Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Jerry, likely both are fine playing guitars. The LPJr will have a thicker neck and the Prophesy thin. The Prophesy will have more versatility straight into an amp with two pickups vs. one in the LPJr, and the resale value will hold better in the LPJr. The P90 is going to have some old-school tones but come with hum and possibly more limited range of tonality vs. active EMGs in the Prophesy EX which are going to be drastically different, and are the opposite of "vintage". I'm sure the rest of the respondents will echo that with this huge difference in guitars, you are not going to want to order on-line without trying each out in person first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleeko Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Hey there Jerry. If you have the luxury of trying out both before you buy, I'd recommend that. What feels and sounds good to me might be all wrong for you. I've got and had Epi's and have a Gibson. Enjoyed them all for different reasons. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheapShoes Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Forgot to add I have an LP Prophesy with passive pickups and like it a whole lot. And...one of my favorite band videos using LP special, which is the same thing as the LPJr except two pickups, gives you an idea of the sound these go for. I know I'm not helping - as I would love to own them both.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsqair Posted June 28, 2013 Author Share Posted June 28, 2013 Perhaps there was a misunderstanding but the Gibson I was referring to was not the LP jr but the LPJ. Iv'e attached photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Unless you specifically want an Epiphone model my view is that if you can afford Gibson go with Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20_Gauge Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Unless you specifically want an Epiphone model my view is that if you can afford Gibson go with Gibson. Totally agree! All my guitars are Epi's BUT that's only because I can't afford to shell out the $$ for the Gibson orignals. My goal though, is to one day be the proud owner of a Gibson but for now I'm just stuck bein' envious of those who have'em. 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheapShoes Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Perhaps there was a misunderstanding but the Gibson I was referring to was not the LP jr but the LPJ. Iv'e attached photo. Oh. Sorry I had no idea there was shuch a thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disaster Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 I went through as similar exercise a few years ago shopping for an SG. I'm old enough to remember real SGs from their origins and played one regularly in the late 60s. I was convinced that the Gibby would be the one. But after playing a few I didn't like them. The necks were too thick and the value seemed unjustified compared to the Epis. I was also VERY drawn to the SG Prophecy GX, a very stunning guitar. In the end I bought an angel white G-400 Custom Shop/Limited Edition Epi. I think the CS/LE crap just means a limited color run, but the value of the guitar is exceptional. And the neck is straight off the Prophecy. It plays better, looks better, feels better, sounds identical (to me anyway - opinions vary), and the value was too hard to ignore. If you are looking for a Les Paul I strongly urge you to look at the PRS Tremonti SE as well as the higher end PRS single cuts. I played the Tremonti SE and was stunned by what a phenomenal guitar it is. I wasn't shopping for an LP but if I were the PRS SE would be tough to beat. Happy Choosing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleeko Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Perhaps there was a misunderstanding but the Gibson I was referring to was not the LP jr but the LPJ. Iv'e attached photo. That's pretty cool looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20_Gauge Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 That's pretty cool looking. I agree that's a totally bad*** LP. [thumbup] 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 Assuming three things, that money is no object, that both are similarly set up to your string and playing choices, and that you're playing through your own amp or one you plan to buy with a new guitar... Play 'em... then decide which one helps you play. The problem is, and assuming that money is no object: setup and strings, not to mention "tone" as you perceive it through an amp you'll be using, are huge factors in making a performance instrument out of an electric guitar on the wall. For what it's worth, HenryJ of Gibson stated once that one should try to play several Gibson necks because, due to the handwork involved, even the exact same model may have a somewhat different feel. Given weights and properties of wood, I'd basically say the same about an Epi, regardless that it's likely to have had more machine than hand work. The wood itself is different even between two of the same model next to each other on an assembly line. Still, you have the question of setup and strings. For what it's worth, the last guitar I bought was an Eastman archtop. I'd asked the guitar store that's some 130 miles round trip from me to let me know if they got an Eastman or Joe Pass. They got the Eastman and called. I asked them to please put on "my" strings and set it low for gentle playing. They did even as I left work early. I played it, liked it a lot, and gave 'em a check. Yes, I would have been more than happy to pay for the strings one way or another, and told them so. OTOH, had it been wearing much heavier strings and a different setup, I really dunno know what I might have done. It certainly would have played differently since it would have been set up for a different type of player technique. I have a hunch somebody else would have gotten a nice instrument set up for their own technique of playing. Also, I'm not hung up on variations of "tone" one gets through different amps as long as certain parameters for clean playing are there, but if I were, I would have taken my own amp to play through. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 If 'money was no object' he wouldn't be looking at those models in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crust Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 the LPJ may need additional set up work http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/100875-gibson-lpj-2013-first-impressions/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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